AUSTIN, Texas — Atmospheric and space scientists gathering at the 98th Annual Meeting of the American Meteorological Society this week will be sharing information on a wide range of topics, including future government and commercial weather sate…

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will wait until next spring to begin a second round of a commercial satellite weather data pilot program as it wraps up the analysis of the program’s initial round.

As companies developing commercial constellations of satellites to provide weather data argue the industry is on the cusp of an information revolution, others cautioned there are still key issues to be addressed regarding the use and access to such data.

While the first of a new generation of polar-orbiting weather satellites remains on schedule to launch next year, the U.S. Government Accountability Office is concerned that it may slip, increasing the risk of a data gap.

Despite the enthusiasm for commercial satellite weather systems expressed by a key member of Congress, the head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said March 16 she has yet to see proof that such systems can provide data that will be useful for weather forecasting.

The Air Force, which has struggled with environmental monitoring from satellite systems for several years, is to be commended for beginning to look at space-based environmental monitoring as a commercial service.